Quartz applicator



July 10,1928.

. v 1,677,016 E.- R. BERRY QUARTZ APPLICATOR Filed July 1, 1,926

'llllll [nwe/i606 Edward y.FR Bef-ry.

Y .Histo/'Hey Patented July 10, 1928.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. BERRY, 0F MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO. GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK. 4

QUARTZ APPLICATOR.

Application led July 1,

The resent invention relates to therapeutic app icators forradiantenergy, such for example, as ultra-violet radiations.

In such a. device it is desirable to conduct the radiation through amedium which has a minimum absorption and diffusion. Preferably such anapplicator is composed of clear` homogeneous vitreous silica.

This quartz applicator may be inserted into a wound or body cavity in.order to carry ultra-violet rays close to the desired part where it maybe desired. to make use of the rays at or near the tip. Heretofore, inorder to accomplish the'desired result the applicator has often beenprovided at the tip with prismatic or lens-like surfaces. However, whenwet tissue lcomes into Contact with the prismatic tip of the applicatorthe' diffusion effect is or may be partly lost and it is necessary thento provide a spacer about the tip in such case, for example, atransparent quartz tube. The resultingapplicator then is larger indiameter and therefore ofttimes is inconvenient to use in certainplaces.

In accordance with my invention, I have provided an improved applicator,the diffusing effect of which is not destroyed by being placed directlyinto contact with wet tissue. This improved applicator is provided witha tip of clear, fused silica which contains a number of cavities orbubbles which then act to retract or.- refiect or change the directionof the rays. In other Words the change in direction of the rays isbrought about inside of the mass of .the applicator and not at itssurface. There may even be a large number of bubbles as to render thematerial at the tip translucent.

The accompanying drawing shown in Fig. 1 is side elevation partly insection, showing ultra-violet ray apparatus provided with an applicatorembo'dyi'n my invention and Fig. 2 shows van enlarged tip of my improvedapplicator in which the cavities or bubbles are shown in large size.

Referring to Fig. 1. the apparatus here shown consists' of a source ofultra4violet raplicator 4, This applicator may be mountedA A1926. SerialN0. 119,975.

.as usual within a holder 5. A shutter 6 may be provided to control theamount of radiation. The applicator 4 consists of clear, homogeneousfused silica which may be made for yexample in'accordance with themethod 'described' in Devers Patent No. 1,536,821 issued May 5, 1925,and which includes the fusion of clear quarts crystal in a vacuumfollowed by further fusion under pressure, for example, in the presenceof gas at high pressure.

The main body of the applicator consisting of clearsilica may beprovided externally with a layer 7 of silver or other lightrelectingmaterial to decrease losses along the length of the applicator.The tip 8 of the applicator consists of vitreous silica having theproperty of diffusing ultra-violet or other radiations. This form ofsilica may be made, for example, by fusing quartz crystal, such as SouthAmerican quartz crystal, in the open air. The translucent silica may bejoined by fusion directly to the clear silica as 'indicated in Fig. u2.As also indicated by the lines 10 in this figure, the numerous smalltrapped gas bubbles 9 in the translucent silicahave the property ofcausing the ultra-violet radiations to be sent in many directions. Thisdiffusing effect occurs even when the translucent silica is held intodirect cont-act with moist tissue.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. A therapeutic device comprising a source of radiant energy, anapplicator for ultra violet rays comprising a member of materialtransparentv thereto and being sub` stantially free from cavities and atip of material which is capable of transmitting the desired radiationsand having interior cavities causing said radiations to spreadexternally of said applicator.

2. An applicator for radiant energy comprising a main member ofsubstantially clear silica free from cavities or bubbles and a tip ofdiffusing silica. 3. An applicator for ultra-violet radlationscomprlsing a rod of substantially clear, homogeneous `silica. and areflecting coating thereon and a tip of silica containing minutecavities.

In witness whereof, I have-hereunto set my hand this 29th day of June,1926.

` 1 EDWARD R. BERRY.

